Vermont cheeses bring home gold from national contest

Mar. 14, 2013

Written by

Sally Pollak

A Vermont creamery won first runner-up honors at the 2013 U.S. Championship Cheese Contest held this week in Green Bay, Wis.

First runner-up, with a score of 97.89 out of a possible 100, was Tarentaise, a semi-hard alpine cheese made by Spring Brook Farm/Farms For City Kids Foundation in Reading.

Top honors went to a Wisconsin Gouda made by Marieke Penterman, of Holland’s Family Cheese in Thorp, Wis. The Marieke Gouda scored 98.31 in the final round of judging.

Second runner-up was Medium Cheddar, made by Team Cracker Barrel Natural Cheese, Agropur Weyauwega for Kraft Foods in Glenview, Ill., which scored 97.88.

More than 1,700 cheeses were entered, including pepper-flavored, smoked and sheep cheeses. This year, more than 30,000 pounds of cheese were entered in the contest.

Wisconsin captured the most gold medals, with 47 of the 81 categories judged. Vermont and New York came in second, with six gold medals each. For a full list of winners, which includes many Vermont entries, visit www.us

Critics call Vermont winery a 'star'

Lincoln Peak Vineyard and Winery is celebrating some significant recognition — the New Haven winery was mentioned in the new book, American Wine, by wine critic Jancis Robinson and Sonoma wine writer Linda Murphy.

The book, published last month, calls Lincoln Peak a “star wine producer” in Vermont.

Contact Sally Pollak at spollak@burlingtonfree press.com or 660-1859. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/vtpollak.